Building work by Falkirk Council teams is helping to free up vital hospital beds in the area.
The council’s Building Maintenance Division (BMD) team is carrying out work to support the response to COVID-19 including work on empty houses which can be used to accommodate homeless people and hospital discharges.
So far this has assisted in discharging seven people from hospital, freeing up essential hospital beds.
This work has also provided 17 people or families with safe and secure temporary accommodation.
While all routine work has stopped, services are still being provided to tenants and include:
- Emergency repairs e.g.: a serious water pipe leak; no heating or hot water; total failure of electrical supply or insecure property
- Gas servicing and safety checks
- Provision of temporary accommodation for homeless and support hospital discharges and free up essential hospital beds
- Provision of property adaptations to support hospital discharges and free up essential hospital beds.
Council Leader Cecil Meiklejohn said: “The building maintenance team are doing a grand job in very challenging circumstances. They continue to carry out emergency repairs and are bringing empty homes up to a standard for temporary accommodation for homeless people and for hospital discharge.
“As this crisis continues we aim to have 80 additional temporary properties available for those who need them and have completed work on 28 houses so far.”